Downtown Memphis

[flith]

i believe one of the reasons that memphis is growing more in the central part of the city is because they are surrounded by two different states. rather than moving to arkansas or mississippi and commuting to tennessee (which does happen more and more often) people find it easier to live in the same state they work in. nashville on the other hand is in the middle of the state and has more room to grow. some might say this is a bad thing, but some might see it a good thing. i myself see this as a good thing, BUT only if nashville starts revitalizing their downtown. once this is done i don't see a problem with people moving to the outskirts of the metro area. i don't really think that nashville and memphis can ever truely be compared. they are both great cities in tennessee that have their own flavors, sounds, tastes and identities. i wouldn't want it any other way.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't think that Memphis bordering two states has anything to do with its downtown growth. Chattanooga is in the same situation, but the fastest growing parts of the Chattanooga MSA from the 1990 to present are in Georgia.

[sleepy]

I don't think that Memphis bordering two states has anything to do with its downtown growth.  Chattanooga is in the same situation, but the fastest growing parts of the Chattanooga MSA from the 1990 to present are in Georgia.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree. The fastest growing part of the Memphis metro is DeSoto County MS which from 2000-2003 grew 107,000 to 124,000, a 16% clip. Shelby County gained 9,000, about 1%.

[doormanpoet]

Anyone have any artist renderings of these buildings proposed for Memphis?

[memphismike]

That's not true...The fastest growing county in Mississippi, and fifth-fastest growing in the US, is DeSoto, which happes to border Shelby. Plus, taxes are lower in Miss. and Arkansas, so that blows your theory out of the water...

i believe one of the reasons that memphis is growing more in the central part of the city is because they are surrounded by two different states. rather than moving to arkansas or mississippi and commuting to tennessee (which does happen more and more often) people find it easier to live in the same state they work in. nashville on the other hand is in the middle of the state and has more room to grow. some might say this is a bad thing, but some might see it a good thing. i myself see this as a good thing, BUT only if nashville starts revitalizing their downtown. once this is done i don't see a problem with people moving to the outskirts of the metro area. i don't really think that nashville and memphis can ever truely be compared. they are both great cities in tennessee that have their own flavors, sounds, tastes and identities. i wouldn't want it any other way.

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[timalucas]

Can't we all just agree that Knoxville Kicks Nashville and Memphis's Ass. After all we have the mountains (they're very "High Rise")

[sleepy]

Can't we all just agree that Knoxville Kicks Nashville and Memphis's Ass.  After all we have the mountains (they're very "High Rise")

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Actually, I've always maintained that Memphis is better than Nashville because it's the furthest from Knoxville.

[timalucas]

Actually, I've always maintained that Memphis is better than Nashville because it's the furthest from Knoxville. 

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Hey man that works both ways. I love knoxville because it's the furthest from the ass-pit that is Memphis!

[brewerw]

Hey! Knoxvilles got the Vols. Thats the best of any Tenn city.

I would rather have a UT than the Preds or Grizzlies. Not the titans, buta university does so much for a city. Vandy does NOTHING like UT does for knoxville.

[Rural King]

That's not true...The fastest growing county in Mississippi, and fifth-fastest growing in the US, is DeSoto, which happes to border Shelby. Plus, taxes are lower in Miss. and Arkansas, so that blows your theory out of the water...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Taxes are not lower in Arkansas and Mississippi. Tennessee ranks I think about 48th in taxation, so unless either one or both are below Tennessee, overall Tennessee has to have a lower tax rate. Now Memphis and Shelby County may well have higher tax rates then their neigboring out of state neighbors, but as far as state to state, Tennessee is about as low of a tax burden state as you can find. I think Alaska is one the states below Tennessee in tax burden, not sure on the other. I'll see if I look that up.

Edit: Here is a site with tax burden info: http://www.taxfoundation.org/statelocal.html

Tennessee on it ranks 47th in state and local, 48th overall with federal taxes.

[Rural King]

Oh I forgot to say hello! I'm a regular mainstay poster over on SSP. Most people over there refer to me as RK for short.

Dave told me I should come over here and check out this site. He says very nice things about this forum. So here I am.

[it's just dave]

RK, glad to see you made it over. Maybe we can see some of your incredible pictorials over here, too?

[sleepy]

Taxes are not lower in Arkansas and Mississippi. Tennessee ranks I think about 48th in taxation, so unless either one or both are below Tennessee, overall Tennessee has to have a lower tax rate. Now Memphis and Shelby County may well have higher tax rates then their neigboring out of state neighbors, but as far as state to state, Tennessee is about as low of a tax burden state as you can find. I think Alaska is one the states below Tennessee in tax burden, not sure on the other. I'll see if I look that up.

Edit: Here is a site with tax burden info: http://www.taxfoundation.org/statelocal.html

Tennessee on it ranks 47th in state and local, 48th overall with federal taxes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

He was probably talking primarily about property taxes.

Here's some rates:

The tax rate for a property owner in Shelby County is $7.02 per $1,000 of assessed value, compared to Davidson County's $4.58 rate, Knox County's $5.66 rate and Hamilton County's $5.58 value.

I would bet DeSoto County's rates are rock bottom. I understand MS has an income tax, yet they also have a lower sales tax rate. DeSotoans say they come out ahead, plus housing's much cheaper than in Shelby.

[timalucas]

Hey! Knoxvilles got the Vols. Thats the best of any Tenn city.

I would rather have a UT than the Preds or Grizzlies. Not the titans, buta university does so much for a city. Vandy does NOTHING like UT does for knoxville.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's Right!

[satalac]

That's Right!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

actually vandy is one, if not the largest employers in nashville. sure, their football sucks, but economically, they are a big part of nashville. plus, it's easier for a university to have a large impact on your city if you only have around 180,000 people living in it

[sleepy]

actually vandy is one, if not the largest employers in nashville. sure, their football sucks, but economically, they are a big part of nashville. plus, it's easier for a university to have a large impact on your city if you only have around 180,000 people living in it 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, even in New Orleans, Tulane University which is about the size of Vanderbilt, is the largest private employer in the city---mostly due, as in Nashville I suspect, to its hospital and medical facilities.

[satalac]

Yes, even in New Orleans, Tulane University which is about the size of Vanderbilt, is the largest private employer in the city---mostly due, as in Nashville I suspect, to its hospital and medical facilities.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yeah, the hospital employs tons of people.

[memphismike]

What you said are some of the most ignorant statements I've EVER read on this forum. Are you serious?

Bredesen had nothing to do with Memphis getting an NBA team. Several business leaders, namely Andy Cates and Pitt Hyde went out and recruited teams. TWO NBA teams applied to move to Memphis on the same day. That's because of the awesome recruiting of our business leaders.

Memphis was in the hunt for an NFL team LONG before Nashville. It would have been awarded a team in 1994 had it agreed to build a new stadium. That's exactly why Charlotte was announced first and they held off to announce the other so Memphis could decide. It was in our ownership group's court. When that group, which was the RICHEST of any of the competing cities, decided they were not going to build a stadium and offered a renovation of Liberty Bowl MS instead, the NFL decided to go with Jax. Memphis is a larger media market and MSA than Jax. Of course the NFL wanted to be in Memphis.

Do you really think it's harder to sell 8 games to fans and the corporate community than to sell 41 games? Come on...And I find it hard to believe that someone in such a position as your friend would make such a moronic comment.

And as far as mending fences, Bredesen didn't have to do anything. Memphis is historically a Democrat city, so he had Memphis locked up when he announced he was running for Governor. By the way, isn't Nashville hurting from the deals he made with the Titans and Preds when he was mayor?

Oh, how are the Preds doing this year? Must be a disappointment to the below NHL average, 14,000 fans who can't come down and watch them. Meanwhile, OUR Grizz are in the playoffs.

Unfortunately the race card is always a divider between Nashville and Memphis. I was told by someone in the Nashville Sports Council several years ago that Memphis was too poor and black for an NFL team. The average black family in Memphis could not afford a psl or tickets.  Then Mayor Bredesen gave the Grizzlies to Memphis to pacify them. Bredesen thought two major league teams was enough and to "mend fences" with Memphis was to ask the NBA to locate there because more blacks watch the NBA than whites, and because the NFL, NHL or MLB would never consider Memphis.

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[joeker]

Well I must say this is a very interesting thread and EXTREMELY helpful.

I am seriously considering moving from Wisconsin to Tennessee. I'm sick of the weather here and it's a TAX HELL!

I'm trying to decide between Memphis and Nashville area....was leaning towards Memphis, but was told it was poor and ghetto.

While it's obvious Memphis has it's problems, I'm STILL leaning towards Memphis area because the property values are so low, and I could live in mansion there (in the suburbs). Plus I like to play poker and Tunica is only 40 miles away

Am going to visit both cities this month which will help determine my decision.

Thanks for all the info and opinions from both sides!

[tournashville]

Just FYI Sleepy, Nashville richest areas are not included in Nashville-Davidson.  Belle Meade, Oak Hill, Forrest Hills, Berry Hill, Old Hickory, Lakeview, and Goodlettsville are seperate from "metro" in the census.  The cities are semi-autonomous keeping any services they provided before consolidation.

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berry hill??? goodletsville??? instead of goodletsvile, hendersonville should have been in its place. i live there, and we have the most multi million dollar houses per capita now.

[satalac]

berry hill??? goodletsville??? instead of goodletsvile, hendersonville should have been in its place. i live there, and we have the most multi million dollar houses per capita now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

more than belle meade?

[sleepy]

Well I must say this is a very interesting thread and EXTREMELY helpful. 

I am seriously considering moving from Wisconsin to Tennessee.  I'm sick of the weather here and it's a TAX HELL!

I'm trying to decide between Memphis and Nashville area....was leaning towards Memphis, but was told it was poor and ghetto.

While it's obvious Memphis has it's problems, I'm STILL leaning towards Memphis area because the property values are so low, and I could live in mansion there (in the suburbs).  Plus I like to play poker and Tunica is only 40 miles away 

Am going to visit both cities this month which will help determine my decision.

Thanks for all the info and opinions from both sides!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Last I checked, median sale prices in Memphis were about $10,000 lower than Nashville, so both cities are cheap on a national scale, although I'm not sure "mansions" in either town are particularly cheap--at least compared to Wisconsin.

As far as Memphis being "poor and ghetto", I don't think that's accurate. You'd look long and hard to find any "bombed-out" areas resembling the stereotypes of Detroit or Cleveland.

While there's a large disparity in income between white and black--for example, Memphis white household income exceeds the national white average by $6000, while Memphis black household income falls $1400 below the national black average--in most of the midwest, you'll find that gap even larger.

One thing you'll find in the South is a large black middle-class.

At 43%, the Memphis MSA has the highest percentage of African-Americans in nation. It is definitely a city with a historic black culture, particularly reflected in its music.

Anyway, you be the judge:

Median household income (all races) in 1999:

United States 41,994

Memphis, TN--AR--MS MSA 40,201

Milwaukee--Racine, WI CMSA 46,132

Nashville, TN MSA 44,223

Black Median household income in 1999:

Memphis, TN--AR--MS MSA 27,809

Milwaukee--Racine, WI CMSA 25,077

Nashville, TN MSA 30,101

U.S. Census Bureau

Census 2000

[rocket9561]

berry hill??? goodletsville??? instead of goodletsvile, hendersonville should have been in its place. i live there, and we have the most multi million dollar houses per capita now.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was talking about cities inside Davidson County which Hendersonville is not one of.

While Hendersonville is certainly a wealthy city by TN standards, it doesn't stack up per capita to Belle Meade, Forrest Hills, etc.

[joeker]

Last I checked, median sale prices in Memphis were about $10,000 lower than Nashville, so both cities are cheap on a national scale, although I'm not sure "mansions" in either town are particularly cheap--at least compared to Wisconsin.

As far as Memphis being "poor and ghetto", I don't think that's accurate.  You'd look long and hard to find any "bombed-out" areas resembling the stereotypes of Detroit or Cleveland.

Well, I'll be able to afford a very large and comfortable house if I decide to move there. I'll save about 3k a year alone in Property taxes.

I'll be visiting the city to look around and get a feel for it in June. This thread has been very helpful tho.

[brewerw]

Memphis Mike. At least the titans have gone to a championship game. The grizlies dissapoint me every year. They cant even make it past the first round in the NBA's like 2 month playoffs.

[sleepy]

Memphis Mike. At least the titans have gone to a championship game. The grizlies dissapoint me every year. They cant even make it past the first round in the NBA's like 2 month playoffs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Considering what the Grizzlies were like in their 5 years in Vancouver and their first 2 years in Memphis, they have made a remarkable turnaround.

Last year, they went 50-32, almost a complete reversal of their previous season record and Hubie Brown was coach of the year.

This year was not as good, but they still made the playoffs. And I would say that most fans expect them to make it every year now.

Also, keep in mind that I don't think any no. 8 seed has ever beat a no. 1 seed in the series.